Barricade, 1 or 2 apps?

[lilmarvin4064]

I hope some of the experts can help me out here.

I'm in the transition zone and deal primarily with fescue. Over the past few years I've been switching between Barricade (1 app) and Dimension (2 apps normal, 1 app/higher active/later sign-ups). I've talked with a couple techs from larger companies about what they were using, and they are doing split Barricade apps.

My main question is what is the benefit of doing split Barricade apps?

The only thing I can think of is that the customer might cancel after Rd1, so you'd be out less money (assuming equal bills on all rounds). If you can put it all out on rd 1, why wouldn't you?

I've been using a "fairway" grade Barricide with smaller prills. I can't remember the SGN, but they're small! I usually shoot for about .75 ai/A (5 months, right?) Wouldn't a 1/2 rate or 3/4 rate of Barricade on a standard prill not provide adequate particle density on the soil for the 1st round? Plus, putting down Barricade in May scares me. We have to overseed many lawns in the fall due to our droughty summers and the long residual kind of puts me off. Does Barricade last longer through a drought??

I've been considering 1st app Barricade, 2nd app Dimension, but that's seems a little too expensive.

Thanks for your help

[whoopassonthebluegrass]

I'm out in the Rockies, so this may be a little apples to oranges, but here's why I do 2 apps with Prodiamine:

* costs less. 2x's 3 months is cheaper than 1x 6 months
* experience shows me that 6 months of this is gone long before 6 months...
* enables me to service late signups
* sales point. "I pre-emerge 2x's, not just once."

[Turfdoctor1]

i find this to be a very interesting question as well.

I understand the logic that says that split applications should be more effective, with misses, etc. But, assuming perfect application, I just don't think the research shows any greater control with split applications versus one.

I have been looking for articles, and not having much luck.

http://www.paceturf.org/PTRI/Documents/970302sj.pdf

This one shows no difference with Dimension:
http://home.okstate.edu/homepages.nsf/e06a860dccf8ff9386256874007f07d0/0b944f4ba1d3b06e86256a0e0075468c!OpenDocument

Not much difference on this one:

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/report/1999/page33.pdf

or this one
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/wfiles/W146.pdf

sorry, i'm a research nerd. It just seems odd that everyone believes something to be true, but is it?

[PSUTURFGEEK]

I have had alot of luck with Barricade .29 late Feb and coming back in first week of april, I wouldn't split much past those dates in our area if you plan on having much luck seeding. I have also used barricade/stonewall at .37 and .43 one apps and went out like this time excactly and had really good results also. Your'e plan of using a mini or elite grade is the ticket, I can't stress the difference in results enough between standard and mini in crabgrass control, I mean this is the year to pay a little more for a much better sgn and alot better control, mosy guys on average are saving 350.00 a pallet on grub control, put that money into better crabgrass control and save on Marketing with better customer retention.